The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-06
Shall Prohibition be Enforced :?

Editor Palatka News:
The New Constitution, together with
the XIXth Amendment, has been adopt
ed, and is now operative, in accord
ance with which steps are being taken in
our county looking to the ultimate and
effectuaI prob bition of the sale of al
cohiic liquors or drinks. Hence it is
thought not out of place or time to dis
cuss the question. With your permits
sion, then, 1 propose to offer from time
to time during the agitation, some
thoughts bearing upon the subject; not
only of alcoholic prohibition, but also
upon the subject of prohibition in its
general sense. 1t is assumed that most
thoughtful men not only desire the pre-
vaience of the best possible state of So
ciety, but also desire to bring about that
stateby the Use of proper means. On
the pure subject of the wisdom of tenn
peTance there can be but one opinion
amongst intelligent and well disposed
people. But temperance and prOhibi-
ton, considered apart, are in no sense
synonymous; and herein is where so
Many men, perhaps the majority, and
women almost invariably, use both
terms Unfortunately and interchange
ably. Hence, when you tell them you
are not prohibitiOnist, they stand
aghast and answer in apparent amaze
ment, "YOu are not temperance man
then We have always counted you as
one of us ON this question" Yes, my
dears, l am one of you on the question
of complete temperance; or If you urge
me, may consent to total absteinence for
myself and for all who tOluntarily wish
to occupy that position and live con-
sistent Herewith, but when you ask me
to compel my neighbOr by force of law
or social considerations, to think as |
think on any subject whatever. or to act
as L act upon any private or iHdiridadt
matter whatever, you ask me to perpe-
trate an aggression upon my neighbOr,
which l would not peaceably endure
fiom him. In a word, you ask me to
disregard the teachings of the Golden
Rule, than which a better measure of
human social conduct has never been
constructed. / freely acknowledge that
many of the very best men and women
IN every community are very energetic,
and disinterestedly so too, in their adj
vocacy of prohibition-miscalled the
temperance cause-and, too, most of
these good men and women would take
the negative Of the question. "Does the
end justify the MEANS" and vet. incon-
sistent as it is, and in utter violation of
all logic. they are willing to use upon
others for the sake of the good it may
do. Such means and modes as they
themselves would resist to the life. were
it attempted upon them by any power
possible of resistance, in relation to
any wish they believed they had
the individual and natural right to graft
fy. 1t goes with the saying
and needs no argument with
an average inte!lect-that to pro
hibit or prevent, by the use of superior
force. any voluntary act possible to bu-
manity, neither directly injurious to. nor
aggressive upon the person, property or
character of another, is An aggression
upon the natural and inalienable rights
with which the Declaration of Independ-
ence declares every man is born; and an
of power upon the part of
the superior force, under whatever name
it may be couched, wholly unwarranted
by the genius of American institutions
AS we'll as by natural Justice. l.. NJ.